Saturday, November 17, 2007

Sometimes the best things are right at home

I split my Saturday into two sections: Cleaning and Birding.I went to a few nice spots to look for birds, but things are pretty quiet around here.I headed home to do some heavy cleaning in preparation for out Christmas tree (Yep, we will be putting it up Thanksgiving weekend) and as I cleaned, I watched our feeders.

Ever notice it's like impossible to get a good picture of a titmouse? They are so darn flitty and fast. Setting the camera on rapid fire helps. I need one of those motion-sensor cameras.Chickadees can be tough to catch, too.I was smart to put the woodpecker feeder right outside the window. I could see the gleam in this downy's eye.

I've noticed that possums aren't the most observant animals. Quite a few times at RAPTOR, I've watched one walk right next to me and they don't notice me until I clear my throat.I walked right up to this one tonight in the front yard. It was a medium-sized one, maybe the baby we saw earlier in the year.Reminds me of a funny story:A while back, Swami and Swamette saw an animal in their backyard. They took a picture of it and sent it to Rachel, the family's animal expert. She wrote back that it might be an ROUS.An R O U S . They had no idea what that was. (Not Princess Bride fans, I guess)Turns out that the animal was a possum.

Reminds me of another story:Today, while Geoff and the girls were at the Yurt, a woodpecker flew into the yard. Swami and Swamette asked the girls what kind it was, and Lorelei piped up, "It's a downy!" Atta girl.

One more story, and that's it. I promise:A few years back, my Mom gave Swami and Swamette a flower arrangement. It was a clay pot with Cosmos in it. They had it for weeks. One day, Swamette asked me what kind of flowers they were. I said, "Heck, Rita, I don't know. They're fake."Turns out that they had been wateringthis fake thing and placing it in the sun. You know, to keep it looking pretty.

A juicy tidbit about Geoff's book:It has been reviewed in the Washington Post.Hot damn!Click HERE to read!

Ah- the house cleaning before the Christmas tree - I hear you! We bought our tree already, but the task of decorating it (which I love) is my reward after the serious house cleaning is done. And it's not done yet!Congratulations to Geoff on that great review!

Click on this link when you are having a bad day and need a giggle

A Glossary for newcomers to the blog:

"Embrace your Inner Sheep": You'll just have to read back a ways for the explanation of that one.

FTS (Also known as F*** the Swainsons): When you just cannot, under any circumstances, get out and look at another bird today. That's it. I don't care what it is. F*** the Swainsons!

The Flock: A group of women (and a few men thrown in for good measure) who met here in Cyberspace and now travel together to birding festivals. We are unique in this because birders don't usually travel in "packs".

Learning Lemur: (See Science Chimp)

RAPTOR: A Cincinnati-based rehab center for birds of prey (also where I work)

Science Chimp: A term coined by Julie Zickefoose. Meaning anyone who sees something nature-oriented (whether it be scat or bones or the scene of a predator strike) and MUST figure out the circumstances. There is much grunting and "eep-eep-eeping" involved in a full-on Science Chimp display. Someone who is learning the art of Chimping can be called a "Learning Lemur".

"Squeee!": This is a noise you make when something is so cute or perfect, no other word will do.

"What? Lynne has herpes?": What your blogger heard and said during a quiet moment at an owl prowl when someone said that Lynne (Hasty Brook) has groupies.